The Sun. — London, England, 1818-01-21 00:00:00

'lllll CA"1110LIC CLAIMS. FOR THE sus. ADDRESS and APPEAL front the ROMAN CATHOLICS of DIELA:CD to thcir FELLOW SUBJECTS of the UNITED KINGDOM of GitEAT and IRELAND. LEa"rER Mr. EDIT(' R,—Every sentence of this most ex traordinary Document, which I have felt it to be my duty to bring before the Public!, terms with e,i;'euce of the daring and undisguised attempts cif the Irish Papists to subvert the Protestant Con toitnt ton of these Itealnts ! The art first brought to perfection by that Arch Innovator VOLTAIRE, and hence so suecesstnlly adopted, by the advocates of licentious - Opposition tt, existin,g •Establish ments, by which a new Nomenclature is afforded, and the means supplied of undermining virtue and patriotism, by an assumption and appropriation of words and phrases, hithcrto confined to their true and legitimate meaning, has enabled the most bigotcd Slaves to the domination of Rome, to make their 'approaches against The Con stitution, as the advocates of Freedom, and the asserters of popular Rights ! To this system— to this perversion of tet ms and misapplica tion of sentiment, Europe is indebted for that ,ttipentlons and barbarian irruption which has itbakew her to the Base, and more or less con vulsed every (ratter of the world. Under the one tern of LIBERALITY, now the attlibute 0f high character, fine feeling, and Christian cha rity, more confusi between right and wrong, more subversion - of high principle, more mischief, more intolerance, more brutal violence, and more sanguinary excesses, have presented theuiselves on the Theatre of civilized Society, than tinder any of the avowed and stigmatized principles of open violence and hostility, which such Society at once rejects with contempt and abhorrence. The thirst of plunder—an appetency for the Rights and Pas s ssions of others—Sedition, Conspiracy anti Rebellion, are protruded and displayed to Public view., under the general profession of PATRIOTISM ! The declared verdict of Guilt by the Juries of the " Country, against a Patriot of this Order, is pro claimed to be OPPcesstoN An acquittak, under circumstances of intimidation or corruption, the TRIUMPII or LIBERTY, though the delinquent ac knowledge his a:l4 pubicly avow —his con trition !—Not a• Meeting of these profligate and ,a!)andoned CATALINES occurs, in which, pointing to the destruction of all that is great and vene- table in the State, bequeathed to us by our Fore fathers, of the Throne, the Laws and the Cott- stitution, their assertion of ti)eir LOYALTY 18 not impudently made—not a Society of these , mongt el Citizens of the World is Called together at a Tavern, to sap and undermine the several orders of the State, and to present the model of the French Revolution to the sanguinary hopes of their dupes and followers, without the suspicious artd extremest professions of love for THS CON STITUTION ! Thus, Sir, those voluntary Si ties ott - the threshold of the Vatcan—the sons of those who deluged their Country with the blood of Protestants, when-their Coadjutors, the Puritans, had brought fling CHARLKS to the Block, and opened the way to their Emancipation; ‘‘hose E-I,;,;sarks, during the long Reign Of ELIZABETH, v‘ere year after year employed to assassinate that truly Protestant Princess, under, as regular a Pupal ,4bsoiution; who, during the afflicting Reign of CTIAZLES were Jesuits and Puritans united, and who, struggling after the Restoration to iegain thair Ascendancy, mustered t heir forces, and under the doable ageru g of Rome and France had nearly carried the object of their (loafing ambition—who thus found Ciniity by their Country, and sentenced Bever again to be entrusted with the Poi,vca of doing ltrm—whose very sentence of condemna- don %vas the first security ever obtained for and the permanency of the Constitution,, «•as the foundation stone of it; these men' Sir, have now the hardihood, in the face of hislory,, of experience and of truth, to stand tonvm d, not to solicit for favour, not to peti!ion, for grace, not to ask for oblivion, not to proclaim repentence or to promise amend ment, but in a tone of menace, and in a, daring .210t1 Ludy defence of their ancestors ,and their Chorch . , to avow their contempt and hatred of CiJustitut ion, us " unjust and unwise," to pub , I their determination of never conforming to it, od to colorer t;,eir cluinz to have it revolutionized, in order to t entice it to the standard which THEY ant(bl.! enemies 61- the Constitution consider to be the ItlCasllTe of THEIR' RIGHTS. I would call your wtentron, Sir, And that of your Readers to one short sentence, of whit!) I have grossly Ibis cAlculAted its ituportance, if you do not at once perceive all the characteristics which I have in my e , rre9ondence brought forward respecting the toodt , Sclieult.R, awl revolutionary utodc,s of 1,0 , , 2 ,u-i4e, a ( pied !ry the enemies of Good Older and the hist;tutions of the connfry :—" We " do not pretend to AN ASCENDANCY over any par " lion of our fellow sidv . eets ; the enjoyment of " EQUAL RIGHTS CONSTITUTRS THE EXTENT OF " OUR roetTicat. ASPIRATIONS !! !" Now, Sir, if you will observe the very calm and concise style in which this modest avowal of their object is btottglii forward, you will At once perceive that 9 readers out of every 10 might pass it over without considet ing its import. Every Reso lution at a Tavern Dinner is prefaced with some such declaration, and the car and the eye are be come habituated to this sort of verbiage, or jargon, which is just as applicable to the question at is sue, perhaps, as the Bellsnan's Address to his Pa rish on Christ was Eve. Litre, indeed, is the form of words, but applied to a rely different pur pose, and covering an object altogether foreign to them, in their usual acceptatiolL The Tinker and Tapster who are enlightened by the harangues of BRANDRETH, HOOPER, WAITHMAN, Of Sir FRANCIS BURDETT, may talk about equal Rights, because they really possess and enjoy them, though, like MoLtEßa's "Bourgeois Gentilhontme," they do not know it, and are cajoled into a belief that they still want theca; but equal Rights, as refer ab:e to the Roman Catholics, embrace the whole Question under disenssion, and whilst the one set of men I have just described are entitled to them, in virtue of the Constitution, the latter are excluded from them for the preservation of the Constitution.— They stand in direct and diametrical opposition to each other. The one cannot constitutionally exist with the other. The Rights 01 - the People are incompatible with - the Claims of the Roman Catholics, thus modestly, and as it were in a pa renthesis, concisely set up ! If tile People desire a NEW CONSTITUTION, let this be expressly un derstood ; but we must not permit the game of the Trojan Horse to be played off under the Bri tish Constitution, or suffer our Palladium to be destroyed by placing it unguarded within reach of these treacherous Greeks 1 have not yet noticed in this pregnant para graph, the nature of the pledge, dismissed in three words, of their having no pretension to ASCEN DANCY.- They assure us they do not pretend to it. This is all ; but is this all that is intended to be conveyed to the initiated 9--They do not pretend to it; bia (and this is an important "but) we DO ! and what is meant by the immediately following Claim to equal Rights? IVhat but an unequivo cal declaration againt the PROTESTANT- ASCEN DANCY ! Grant them bat the Powcia to work out their system, and they will appeal to this very precious Declaration that their Claim went in a mine to the overthrow of the Protestant Ascen dancy. The next step would, of course, be the establishment of Papal Supremacy; anti "what guarantee shall we have against it ? The simple avowal, in this very " simple case," as they de nominate it, that they do not pretend to it An ample security to Englishmen truly for the sacrifice of their Constitution ! Could Mr. - CANNING imagine, when he so far forgot the Principles of Mr. PITT., as to decline tht Coutitutional Toast handed 'down from the Fathers of the Revolution, and uniformly supported by that Patriot Minister--a Toast constantly in the list of the IVHIG CLUB, even in its degene ra t e days, ancruNTlL itsfinal extinction ; could, I say, Mr. CANNING have imagined that the pl:do was so far organized, and the scheme so ripe for publica tion, when he was thus called npwn, and subniit ted, in deference to the prejudices of the Roman Catholic Claimants, to throw a shade overtheg,rea distinguishing feature of the Constitution, or would h e not have spurned at the use thus attempted to be made of his justly esteemed and respectable authority to sap and und erm i ne the very vitals of the Constitution ? Is it that men in pursuit of some visionary plan, or some favourite scheme of policy, arc so intent upon the object, that they exclude all consideration of consequences and con tingencies ? Is it possible that a mind like Mr. CANNING'S can be so riveted upon an abstract principle- as to prostrate itself before the sugges tions of a sect or a party, which has proved itself inimical, and resolute to oppose all the great lead ing and distinctive features of -the Constitution ? Is it mot sufficient to satisfy, the most liberal feel ings of Toleration and Indulgence towards the prejudices of such persons, that every thing re strictive, harsh, or penal, is expunged from oor Statute Book, without offering up the Statute Book itself, as the victim to those prejudices ?—ls any one Civil Right or Privilege denied to the Papists which the incidence and wisdom of our Forefathers (who ate our Law and Authority on all other points) originally consillered necessary to stifle the germ of any future attempt to give them PowEE? Are they excluded from arty one advan tage from which numerous classes of Prote s t an t Subjects are not equally.. excluded ? The Clergy, in a body, are for ever excluded front seats in the Legilittive Body, and no privilege or resumption of the right to sit can be claimed or admitted 1— Are there not other societies and departments of the Body Politic who are equally inca pable of enjoying the privileges which the Roman Catholics now ,claim as their portion of equal Rights ?—As tar as personal freedom and liberty of conscience are concerned, they have equal Rights, and these when granted to them were publicly proclaimed to he the extreme object of their wishes and desires. They THEN did not pretend to any share of Legislative Power, or as pire to be Of Functionaries of the State. " They wanted nothing further than redemp.E lion from the operation of Penal Laws, and restraints upon Conscience !"—This pledge of their gratitu:le and moderation is now rudely withdraw n, and whilst some puny Po'iricians, whose views are bounded by present objects, argue, that as so much has been granted, it is • absurd to withhold the little that remains to be conceded., they themselves boldly march forward, regardless of promises or pledges, and demand their admission to POWER and EQUAL RIGHTS, (by which. is meant Office and Confront, for it is else without any meaning) awl attempt to sanc tion their Claim by the profession of extreme mo deration in not looking to ASCENDANCY ! But surely, Sir, this is sufficient to open the eyes of the people to what is really intended. Wen the Penal Laws were in force, (not enforced be it recollected) and the first appeals of the Ro man Catholic Body wete made for their abroga " they did not pretend to any further indul gence." When they made their next advance, and did solicit certain indulgencie.3, which were conceded to them, " they did not pretend" to claim them as rights, and they professed themselves con tented. When Petitions, which assumed the colour of Demands for the right of Voting at Elections, were brought forward and granted, they " did not pretend" that any further concessions were expected, on the contrary, they themselves, and their Parliamentary Champions, avowed their satisfaction, and solemnly pledged themselves again that they looked for nothing further. But the Concession was scarcely registered, when the suc cess of their former policy encornwred them to proceed to the last extremity, and to force the only barrier which remained to preclude their re turn to POWER and AUTHORITY ! They no longer appeal (as I have shewn, And as the important ,Document before us will prove) to the Constitu 7 lion,' but ACAINST itL-they are no longer 'Peti tioners for Redress, but Rivals for Power ; and after the experience of the increase of demands in proportion as Concessions have been made — after the repeated and rapid breaches of their pledge to be satisfied in each succeeding stage of Concession—and after having seen all this pass within the compass of a single Reign, and before tiot), our own eyes, we are expected., —nay, we are stigmatized as intolerant and bigoted adherents to t h e prejudices of onr Forefathers, for refusing to throw down the Constitution, to prostrate the Throne and Altar before the prejudices of men who are only called upon to shake off the yoke of Foreign Dominion, and to be obedient to 'the Laws to which all other subjects are bound to submit, but who refuse a single Concession or shadow of Concession on their part. I sly, Sir, the Loyal and Protestant Opposers of this breach of our Laws, of our faith to each other, of the Coronation Oath, and of the Articles of our Union will' Scotland and with Ireland, are held up to the fury and indignation of all Philosophical Statesmen and 'Metaphysical Reviewers, because they will not plunge into innovations without re gard to consequences, tear up the very founda tions of society already shaken by the tremendous convulsion of the French R evo l ut i on, and open every avenue to the Throne, and eventually the Throve itself, to them Who have, whenever they possessed THE POINKR, turned it against the People and the nights of Freemen ; who are themselves the worst of slaves—willing shies to a Foreign Despot—and whose Creed is boldly published and declared to be an hereditary and unhesitating obedience to the will of a Fallible Man, whom they clothe with the pretences of Infallibility ! It is to encourage, to foster, to give life and vigour and power to this Caput Mortuum of their bigot- ed worship, that we are to make an experiment ipon the Constitution—and to sacrifice the feel' ngs, principles, and policy which have raised us o the highes►. elevation of national glory and pro- sperity—ever yet granted to mortal men ire a state of society ! If this be done—then ENGLAND, PROTESTANT ENGLAND, adieu to hi! thy greatness!—Thou bast touched thy meridian height; the glory of thy Fathers shall be obs Cured by the degeneracy of their Children; and the DAY STAR of LIBERTY shall fade away from thy view amidst the fumes of incense offered to bigotry and superstition, a the ascendant ! ! LANITANC. TO CORRESPONDENTS. The Letter to the Earl of LIVERPOOL contains such heal Charges against persons in public situations in that town , that it cannot properly be inserted in a Public Journal. I t ' ' and its contents, will therefore be left at our Office, de . ducting the expence of postage (Or so large an article. The Letter front ALBERT is received, and shall soon be ill° serted. We shall be glad of the Lines he mentions. We hope our respectabl e Correspondent, TEttax Fitaus) W ill excuse our postponing his Letti:r till To-worrow. • MARINE PIUSERVOTIVL TO-LOWToW, • MAILS. AantvED—l Guernsey and Jersey, 2 Flanders. DU E—Q /Ca° terturJ, 1 Hullaud, o Ciuttenburgli, I Malta, 3 HambWlP' PRICE tie STOCKS THIS DAY AT rtvEt.vE o'ci.ocx. Pank Stock 2qoj 1 Bank L. Ann 20 15-16 the 3 per Cent. Red . Sliiii India Bonds.:.. 1063. 10Ss• P r ' 3 per Cent. Cons - 8014$i Exch. 8i115...... 19s. 28s. 1, 0 '; 4 per Cents 994 4 Cons.for Account el ill .5 per Cent. Nary Ann.. 104.1 HIGH 41C; WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE To.momtoisr%, Morning, 7 minutes after 2. Evening, 32 minutes after "` THE SUN. SOLEM (,LUIS DICERE FALSUM AUDLAT ? LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1818. We received this morning the Paris Parrs' of Sunday last. The following are extracts : " CIIAMI3EIt OF DEPUTIES, JAN. 17. " A petition from the Religieux in the Depart ment of Lozere, praying the restoration of th e whole of their pensions, was, after some observs . lions from M. Brune 'de Villeret, respecting tile distress of this class of individuals, owing to the reduction of their pensions, ordered to be r e ' (erred to the Minister of the Interior. " The discussion on the Projet respecting t he recruitment of the army was resumed. • " Biguen supported t h e P ro j et, but objected to fixing permanently the amount of the levy, C O "' tending thiit it ought to lie annually voted, lik g the Budget. . . " M. de Cardonnel opposed the Projet, on t" ground of its being contrary 10 tive Constitutiona l Chatter and the Royal Prerogative. "M. Camille Jordan spoke in favour of Projet, the object of which was to form an aria)? truly Royal and National. Ile proceeded t° serve upon the. speech of M. de Snlaberry) who ' he said, seemed to suppose thEit ihe'GkiVernalCii t t with the King at its bead, was engaged in a CO0" spiracy against Legitimacy. " M. de Salaberry—l (lid not say that. "M. Camille Jordan=—Or rafter a conspirocf against certain rights, which certain men ch() °4 to consider as alone legitimate. H e eonclotfr a by supporting the Proiet, but on the icoatfititi ' that the am ount o f f orce should be annt l4l f voted. The discussion wai adiournel till Mllondai• " PAais, 4N. 18.—A grand ball was b' e ' en last night by the Duke and Duchess de Berry, at tbe Palace l'Elysoe. Me number of invitations we ° 120, " Christophe continues to inspire. so much terror in Saint Domingo, that many -of 11 subjects prefer emigrating, and living in slavery amongst the Spanish Royalists, or joili i " the insurgents. A Mulatto, escaped from th, e Cape, related to an inhabitant of Martinique, has communicated them, several recent traits of cruelty on the part of Christophe. - A ,Capts ill of an United States vessel, who was loatiinS merchandise at the Cape, was obliged r ° leave near the 'Arsenal twenty-eight bags ° coffee,which the Douaniers would not let him OW bark, on the pretext of its being too late, fl ;l they were placed in the 'care of the Oiliecris 0 guard at the adjoining station. The next mom' ing seven of the bags were missing.. The Pool' " niers denied all knowledge of them, as (lid th e Officers and soldiers at the Fott, The latter , however, having had the care' of them, Christoph 4l had them instantly shot. He lately sent tw? Deputies to Petion on a secret negociation ; fear -- ing that on their return they would divulge their mission, he sent a man of colour, his confidant, to obtain from them the answer they bad received from Petion. Having got the answer, he two no" fortunate Deputies were shoe. Christophe then began to suspect that - his confidant would betraf hire, and making a sign to his satelli!es, th e 'At.. ter was also immediately shot. " Friday M. Robert Lefevre, first Painter of the Cabinet and the Chamber, had the honour Of presenting to the King a new Portrait of Ili° Mjes!y; whit!) is destined for the British Am , bass,li!or. "In the ease of tie Sie lr Scheirer, the Tri bona of Correctional Police heard on Friday bis • • THEATRICAL REGISTER. 1; Performed Last Night. THEATRE ROYAL, Diien7-LANE.—The Belle's Stratagem Doricourt, Mr. Stanley ; Letitia H ar d y , Mi ss Sulithsa" Alter which, Harleginu s Vision. THEATitE, 11.05 AL, CovENT-GrAttnEN.—Guy Mann cr i ng: Henry Bertram, Mr. Braliain ; Lucy Bertraw, Mrs. Garrick. A t. • ter which, Harlequin Gulliver.